Derry's Meenan Square to become mixed-use housing and community hub

Westco Developments (NI) Ltd has confirmed transfer of its site at Meenan Square in Derry to Apex Housing Association for development as a mixed-use housing, community hub and local amenity scheme. 

Apex and the Executive Office are to embark on a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Meenan Square site that will benefit the whole community. 

Westco will retain circa 10% of the site along the boundary of Westland Street for development where they aim to invest in additional local amenities. 

Westco Director James McGilloway said: “I am delighted to see this progress towards the redevelopment of the Meenan Square site.  

"As landowners, Westco Developments have put a huge amount of time and effort into getting to this stage and I pay tribute to our deceased former director, Kevin Deehan for all his efforts in this regard. 

"We have always wanted the site developed to its maximum potential and I look forward to seeing it redeveloped as a housing, community and commercial hub. We wish Apex and the Executive Office well in its future endeavours to redevelop this important site for the benefit of the whole community."

The site, previously home to storefronts and the iconic Bogside Inn, was sold to private developers in 2016.

In 2016, Martin McGuinness and then First Minister Arlene Foster announced that the revitalisation of the Meenan Square shops would be one of the priorities of a massive £45m investment across five ‘urban villages’ in the North.

The demolition of buildings on the site at the junction of Westland Street and Lecky Road was completed in August of 2021.

The initial "Urban Village Initiative" was to include new houses, retail units, community and youth facilities and licensed premises - expected to cost in the region of £11million.

Six years on from the initial announcement of redevelopment, The Executive Office (TEO) has finally purchased the land.

Local MLAs welcomed the news of the long awaited redevelopment plan for both residents and the wider community. 

Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy said this is a hugely exciting project, “It represents a huge investment in the heart of the Bogside that will see the construction of a new community hub, much-needed social housing and other local amenities," Mr Delargy said.

“It will also signal the total transformation of a site which has become an eyesore and a source of anti-community behaviour which has blighted the lives of local residents for many years.

“With construction now due to begin by next Autumn, I am sure those residents and the wider community will be delighted that, finally, the site is set to be put to a positive use.”

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan echoed Mr Delargy and said that the long overdue acquisition of the Meenan Square site has suffered a series of set-backs but he remains hopeful that this transformational initiative can now progress at pace.

The Foyle MLA said: “I’m glad we have finally reached this stage after a few false dawns and premature proclamations from others.

"It is lamentable how long the Executive Office has taken to get to this point. I look forward to the development of the site which will provide much needed social housing, a new community facility and some community units.

"It will help revitalise this historically neglected area and the construction phase will create local employment opportunities.  

“Hopefully progress on the project will now gather speed and any associated planning applications are dealt with apace.”

Bogside native, Vincent Coyle also said that the news is a long time coming but it is welcome, "We want what is best for the community and the city as a whole," he said.

"Community consultation and cooperation is key to developing something we can all move forward with. Hopefully there will be no return of a premises serving alcohol- addiction is a terrible problem in the community at the moment and we need to make this decision for the youth and for the elderly.

"The community centre will be vital to young and old alike. Also, tourism- the Bogside is a tourist hot spot and the redevelopment can only enhance that.

"The Bogside is very close to my heart, my family are all still there and I was Bogside born and reared."

Vincent said that a lot of time has been wasted since the plans were created and money was allocated. He says a functioning government must make up for the money that will be lost to inflation after the six year delay so the project achieves its full potential.

He continued: "The people of the Bogside have been very hopeful and patient and now we can move forward together. They are looking forward to creating something really special. 

"This is about regeneration. It's about putting heart back into the heart of the community and showing the best of Bogside to the world.

"The people deserve this, we need to bring the dream to reality. We have an opportunity here and we have to embrace it."